survive Meaning, Definition & Usage

verb continue to live through hardship or adversity
live on; last; hold up; live; endure; hold out; go.
- We went without water and food for 3 days
- These superstitions survive in the backwaters of America
- The race car driver lived through several very serious accidents
- how long can a person last without food and water?
verb continue in existence after (an adversity, etc.)
pull round; make it; come through; pull through.
- He survived the cancer against all odds
verb support oneself
live; exist; subsist.
- he could barely exist on such a low wage
- Can you live on $2000 a month in New York City?
- Many people in the world have to subsist on $1 a day
verb live longer than
outlast; outlive.
- She outlived her husband by many years

F. survivre, L. supervivere; super over + vivere to live. See Super-, and Victuals.

imperfect & past participle Survived ; present participle & verbal noun Surviving

To live beyond the life or existence of; to live longer than; to outlive; to outlast; as, to survive a person or an event. Cowper.
I'll assure her of Her widowhood, be it that she survive me, In all my lands and leases whatsoever. Shak.

To remain alive; to continue to live.
Thy pleasure, Which, when no other enemy survives, Still conquers all the conquerors. Sir J. Denham.

Alike are life and death, When life in death survives. Longfellow.